The Miracle of the Bleeding Host: A Testament of Faith at Bois-Seigneur-Isaac

The First Vision: A Wounded Savior

It was the Tuesday before Pentecost in the year 1405, when John of Huldenberg, master of the place, experienced a vision unlike any other. The Lord appeared before him, His body covered in wounds, yet silent. John, though awestruck, received no words, only the sight of the suffering Savior. Twice more the Lord appeared to him, and it was not until the third apparition that He spoke.

"Go into the Chapel of Isaac," the Lord commanded, "you will find me there."

The Call to Mass

At the same time, in the parish, Father Peter Ost, the parish priest, heard a voice that urged him to offer the Mass of the Holy Cross at the very same Chapel of Isaac. The priest, moved by the voice, immediately summoned the faithful for a Mass the following day at the chapel.

The Miracle Unfolds

When the day came, the chapel was filled with those who had answered the priest’s call. Among them was John of Huldenberg. As the priest began the sacred rite, he unfolded the corporal, the cloth upon which the Host would rest. There, lying atop it, was a piece of the large Host from the Mass consecrated the previous Tuesday. Father Ost, deeply focused, reached for the Host to receive it, but it clung stubbornly to the corporal. And then, it began to bleed.

Witness to a Wonder

The priest turned as pale as the sacred linen itself. His hands trembled, unsure of what to do. But John, having seen everything unfold, stepped forward and offered the priest comforting words. "Do not fear," he said gently. "This marvel comes from God." He then shared with Father Ost the visions he had been granted.

For four days, from that Wednesday until the Tuesday after Pentecost, the blood flowed from the Host, staining the corporal. It measured the length of a finger in three breadths, before finally coagulating and drying upon the cloth. Word spread swiftly, and the miracle was witnessed by many from the parish. Each person left in awe of the event.

The Bishop’s Investigation

Bishop Peter d'Ailly of Cambrai soon learned of the miracle and decided to personally investigate the occurrences at Bois-Seigneur-Isaac. He took the corporal, now stained with dried blood, into his care for nearly two years, during which time many tried in vain to wash the bloodstains away. The stains remained, a constant reminder of the supernatural wonder that had taken place.

Official Recognition of the Miracle

In his investigation, Bishop d'Ailly gathered testimony from those who had witnessed the event and the prodigies associated with the relic of the precious blood. On June 16, 1410, he granted an indulgence of 40 days to any pilgrim who visited the Chapel of Isaac to pray. A few years later, on May 3, 1413, he officially authorized the veneration of the bloodstained corporal as a holy relic. From that day on, a solemn procession in honor of the Eucharistic miracle was established, accompanied by the public exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.

A Legacy of Faith

The miracle’s memory has been carried through the centuries. Each year, on the Sunday following the Feast of the Birth of Mary, the faithful of Bois-Seigneur-Isaac gather in reverence and prayer to celebrate this profound manifestation of God’s presence among them.